Chapter 116.2

“Good heavens… Is that Druid Chieftain Nuchka?!”

As expected of a being who had forsaken civilization to ascend to the pinnacle of savagery, Nuchka’s resilience and regenerative abilities were overwhelming.

Even after taking a direct hit from a magical bullet and crashing to the ground, he quickly recovered, evading subsequent attacks.

Crunch! Tear! Crack!

The druid, shifting from monstrous bird to humanoid and then to a massive polar bear, rapidly healed his damaged body with horrifying vitality.

The sheer persistence of this savage being made me marvel at how nature and primal instincts could rival even human ingenuity.

“Grrrrrr….”

The creature, embodying the savage pinnacle of barbarism, growled menacingly, its gaze piercing through me with a ferocity that made my skin crawl—even from a distance.

Screeeeech—

Then, from the sky, five more monstrous birds identical to Nuchka appeared.

“Chairman! Get to safety!”

“More druids are arriving!”

Knights and employees hurried to shield me, half-dragging me into the factory.

“Rooooaaaarrr!!”

Behind us, Nuchka, fully recovered, let out a thunderous roar.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Moments later, the five druids, answering Nuchka’s call, landed on the factory roof, their talons scraping loudly.

Clank! Clank!

Inside the factory, the sound of weapons being readied echoed instinctively.

I quickly reloaded my magnum with more magical bullets and double-checked the enchantments on my magical coat, bracelet, boots, and gloves.

Bang! Crash! Bang!! Screeeeech!

Suddenly, the roof caved in as the druid birds burst through the ceiling.

“Kwaaaahhh!!”

Trying to flee through the front entrance was impossible.

“We’re surrounded.”

At the front, Nuchka—now a bipedal polar bear—smashed through the doorway.

“Chairman, we’ll escort you to the rear exit.”

Assistant Director Teo pointed toward the still-clear back door.

“Screeeeech!!”

The monstrous birds landed near the rear exit, blocking any chance of escape.

“Hold out until Mary and the knights arrive.”

With all routes cut off, there was only one option: endure until reinforcements came.

I’ll have to put my faith in my high Luck stat.

Half of my resolve came from prayer, the other half from my trust in Mary.

***

“Arad!”

Arina was desperate.

She needed to get to the factory where Arad was.

The druid that had just attacked him wasn’t an ordinary one—it was Druid Chieftain Nuchka.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

Her heart pounded furiously, so much so that she forgot her father’s killer stood before her.

Arad is in danger!

Instinctively, she knew.

Neither Arad nor the forces protecting him could defeat Nuchka and his druids.

“Arad!!”

Without hesitation, Arina turned and tried to run toward the factory.

“Grrr… Where do you think you’re going?”

A sinister voice and a murderous intent stopped her in her tracks.

Damn it!

Clang!!

Gritting her teeth, Arina turned and deflected the incoming attack.@@novelbin@@

A throwing axe hurled by Hunster collided with her sword.

“Ssssss?”

Hunster tilted his head curiously, clearly intrigued.

“That sword… It looks good. It’s a pity it’s too small for me. Sssss!”

The throwing axe was made of imperial steel, custom-designed by the Empire to match the massive frames of orcs.

For the orcs, it was a handaxe, but for humans, it was as large as a battle axe.

“Your sword looks better than the weapons made by the Empire. Tell me, female leader—who made it? Sssss!”

Arina’s sword bore no scratches, not even a single dent.

In contrast, the enormous throwing axe Hunster had hurled with all his might, imbued with mana, lay in the corner, cracked and embedded in the ground.

“…”

Arina didn’t answer. She merely pointed her sword at Hunster.

No choice now.

She realized she had to deal with him quickly and get to Arad.

Hum—

Her sword resonated, as if responding to her determination.

Arad…

The weapon wasn’t just any sword—it was a gift from Arad, a birthday present he had crafted for Mary.

Grip!

She tightened her hold on the pure white hilt.

The blade, named Cry of the Snowfield, was entirely white, from the hilt to the tip. It was incredibly sharp and durable.

Three enchantments had been intricately engraved into the magic circuits extending from the pommel and guard to the blade: durability enhancement, damage dispersion, and automatic repair. ṚÂ𐌽𝖔βÊ𝙨

It’s already repaired.

When she had blocked Hunster’s throwing axe earlier, a faint crack had appeared on the blade. But it had been automatically repaired in an instant.

Even the impact had been dispersed, so she’d felt no numbness in her hand.

Hunster, it seemed, hadn’t noticed the automatic repair function.

Hoo!

Dash—

Taking a deep breath, Arina launched herself at Hunster.

Swoosh—

The white mana flowing from her body enveloped her sword, forming a glowing, solid blade.

“Kwoooarrr! Sssss!”

Hunster roared with excitement and vigor, swinging his colossal war hammer and battle axe simultaneously.

The two clashed.

BOOOOOM!

A shockwave erupted, breaking the sound barrier.

Even from just the first collision, both could gauge each other’s strength.

Crash! Bang! Clang!

A flurry of strikes followed, the destructive sounds echoing.

“Ssss? Ssssss?!”

“…”

Arina, disguised as Mary, was gaining the upper hand.

“Die.”

A surge of mana arose from her core and heart.

“Ssss! Sssss!”

Her body, enhanced by the Elixir, her restructured mana core, and her expertly crafted sword, had reached a level that bordered on mastery.

It was true that Arina’s growth had been hindered by certain walls, but only partially.

“Sword Master! Sssss!”

“…”

If she pushed herself and accepted the consequences, she could temporarily display strength akin to her peak.

Crash! Bang! Slash!

Without mercy, Arina unleashed her full power, relentlessly driving Hunster into a corner.

Despite the risks and the aftermath she’d have to endure, she prioritized saving Arad above everything else.

Her father’s revenge was still important, but it had been pushed to second place. Saving Arad was now her top priority.